


Embers and Sirens

by sterekdestiel21



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Abused Dean Winchester, Abusive John Winchester, Alternate Universe - Human, Angst with a Happy Ending, Castiel Needs Dean Winchester, Dead Mary Winchester, Emotionally Hurt Castiel (Supernatural), Emotionally Hurt Dean Winchester, Firefighter Benny Lafitte, Firefighter Dean Winchester, Hurt Castiel (Supernatural), Hurt Dean Winchester, John Winchester Being an Asshole, Lawyer Sam Winchester, Multi, Police Officer Castiel (Supernatural), Top Castiel/Bottom Dean Winchester
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:21:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28049895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sterekdestiel21/pseuds/sterekdestiel21
Summary: One might not think that first responders would be involved in the same cases – in fact, the chances of a firefighter and a police officer arriving at the same scene is indeed very low. Castiel Novak, the new police officer in Lawrence, Kansas, is about to learn that this scenario is far more common than one would expect. With the ever growing time that the new officer spends with one of the city’s most known firefighters, Dean Winchester, Castiel has to teach himself to ensure that his work and personal lives stay apart, or else someone could get hurt.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Jessica Moore/Sam Winchester, John Winchester / Mary Winchester, past Castiel/Balthazar - Relationship, past Dean Winchester/Gordon Walker
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32





	1. First Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there! This is my first slowburn destiel fic so I will apologise now for the poor writing. I am always open for suggestions on character development and plot changes, but please bear with me as I doubt I can stick to a regular updating schedule. I am only writing these for fun and I hope that I will be able to share more with you in the future. 
> 
> Also, this first chapter is shorter than the ones to come, just as I am awful at writing introductions XD

Castiel had immediately warmed to the city of Lawrence, taking in the new atmosphere like a breath of fresh air. Whilst he had only been in the city police force for just under two weeks, there was an instant bonding with his fellow colleagues, who had eagerly welcomed him with open arms. Captain Jody Mills ensured that the raven-haired man knew his surroundings, especially making sure that Castiel knew where the break room was. She had also provided Castiel with a mentor: the cheery, blonde officer Donna. At first, Donna’s constant mothering towards the newcomer had been intimidating, her hands always full with bakery goods or cups of coffee, but Castiel had adjusted to the friendly woman, growing very fond of her loving nature. 

Donna had been the one to introduce Castiel to the rest of the police force: Garth, who was the second newest face in the department; Alex, Jody’s adopted daughter; Mick, the IT worker who lived in his den of computers on the lower floor, and Ketch. Despite taking a liking to most of the team, Castiel felt a sense of unease when alone with Ketch. Donna had said nothing negative towards the British officer, but the way he glared at anyone who walked past, or the determined walk to wherever his destination was, seemed to unsettle Castiel. He hadn’t engaged in a conversation with him yet, briskly moving out of his path to avoid interaction.

Castiel didn’t realise how drastic the move from New York would be. After his breakup with Balthazar, he couldn’t stand walking down the same streets he once had with his ex, seeing the places that they had visited as a couple before the man had broken his heart. Of course, his brother, Gabriel, had been supportive and understanding towards Castiel’s departure, promising to visit his younger brother as often as his work would allow him. Gabriel had been the one who suggested moving to Lawrence – far enough away and a change in scenery so that Castiel could start anew. 

Gabriel had helped Castiel move into his new apartment, checking that the water and electricity was working, “These things usually get brushed over by new tenants, Cassie,” He lectured his brother about the reasons behind the checks, fiddling with the heating and showers whilst he was at it. The apartment itself was larger than the one he had lived in when he was in New York, the new place having three adequately-sized bedrooms, two bathrooms and a fairly expansive living room space. His fridge was large enough to cram Gabriel into (which Castiel had seized immediate opportunity to do when the older man was playing with the temperature gauge), and there were plenty of cupboards to fill with food and plates. They had gone out to buy Castiel new furniture, with a 65-inch television being the ‘piece de resistance’ in the apartment. Once the necessities had been aquired, including the desk by the balcony door and a somewhat decent computer for Castiel to use for work, Gabriel had returned back to New York, going back to his café. 

Castiel sat in front of his desk in the central area of the station, cradling a cup of coffee like a lifeline. The early mornings and late evenings certainly hadn’t done him any favours, leaving him in a zombie-like state until around midday. He took a sip of the warm brew, sighing contently and clicked at his computer. Jody had assigned the man to read over Garth’s report on the latest petty theft, seeing as Castiel had far more experience than the younger recruit. Continuing his coffee, he read over the document, the friendly rumble of office conversation filling the room.

Donna’s loud voice disrupted the calm atmosphere, alerting everyone of her presence, “There’s a car accident down Massachusetts Street,” She announced, grabbing at her walkie talkie whilst speed-walking towards the main doors, “Novak, you’re with me.”  
Jumping out of his seat, Castiel slammed his cup on his desk, picking up his jacket before hastily following the other officer. They both scrambled into the police vehicle, Donna flipping the sirens on before driving away from the station. Turning on the police radio, both officers listened to the information blaring through the speakers at them, “Seems to be an inexperienced driver with two passengers, ambulance needed.”  
“Officers Hanscum and Novak are heading towards the wreckage,” Donna yelled, pushing down on the car microphone.  
“The fire department are on-site.”  
Castiel glanced over at his colleague, concerned about the situation. This was his first call since moving to Lawrence, and by the sounds of it, would be a very difficult one, “What do we do when we get there, Donna?”  
“Assess the situation, make sure everyone is safe,” She replied, swerving around the corner and slamming on the breaks. The site before them was enough to make the officers’ hearts stop. Three cars had been involved in the accident: one of them entirely flipped with the roof on the road, and the other two entirely in flames. Pedestrians were standing by the edges of the scene, another police car blocking any other vehicles passing the site. A fire engine was parked opposite the blaze, men in yellow uniforms dashing across the street carrying large hoses. 

Castiel clambered out of the passenger seat, unsure of what he was supposed to do. His ears were deafened by the blood-curdling screams coming from the crash-site, alerting him that someone was trapped in a vehicle. He raced over, ignoring the frantic yells from Donna behind him. He stopped by the flipped car, crouching down to peer into it. The side door had been ripped open, blood smeared along the seats as though the casualty had been dragged out. Realising that the trapped person wasn’t in there, Castiel turned to the flames, faintly seeing the flailing shadows of desperate arms in one of the cars. 

As he sprinted to the fire, Castiel crashed into a firefighter, both men stumbling back.  
“No offence officer, but this is where my department major,” The firefighter said, in his arms a large piece of equipment shaped like deformed scissors. Not waiting for Castiel to respond, he ran to the far side of the flaming car, “Benny, aim the hose over here!” He shouted, taking a step back as a blast of water struck the front of the car, partially diminishing the flames. The firefighter began cutting away at the burnt metal, trying to reassure the victim in the car to stay away from the door before he managed to tear it away. Castiel watched as he reached his arms into the gaping hole of the deathtrap, pulling out a soot-coated woman. 

“Novak, over here!”  
Castiel turned, noticing Donna waving at him to help her keep watchers back. He rushed over, standing beside his colleague as the casualty was carried towards the ambulance that just arrived. The heat radiating behind the two officers began to simmer down, the fire department managing to reduce the flames. Pedestrians continued to try pushing past the police officers, hoping to get a better look at the wreckage.

“Everybody back away!” Donna yelled, putting her arms out in front. Castiel followed her lead, having to shove back a man who was getting too close to them. 

The sound of the ambulance sirens managed to disperse the crowd as the vehicle dashed away. Both officers waited until the final watchers had walked away before looking back at the site. The fire engine was still parked opposite, the men beginning to pack away the hoses as they patted each other on the back. Beside the car wreckages, three young men were standing on the pavement, covered in bandages and their clothes crumpled from the accident. Donna and Castiel approached them, Castiel pulling out a notepad and pen.  
“Which one of you was the driver?” Donna asked.  
The tallest of them sheepishly raised his hand, using his other hand to rub the back of his head, “I hadn’t meant to crash into them, officers. We had to do an emergency stop and-”  
“Why were you driving, sir?” Castiel interjected, preparing himself to write down the response.  
“We were on our way to campus,” One of the passengers replied, his face covered with small plasters over glass cuts, “Our classes started a half hour ago and we needed to get there quickly.”  
“We will need to look at the CCTV and speed cameras to come to a conclusion as to what to do with you boys, but in the meantime, we need to take down your names, addresses and phone numbers as we will be in contact with you soon,” Donna glanced over the young men, crossing her arms and waiting patiently as each recited their personal details to Castiel.  
“Do not leave the city in the next 48 hours, and it is preferred for you to stay home until further notice,” Castiel said. The three men nodded, scrambling off when Donna waved them away.

They watched as the boys disappeared out of sight, Donna taking the notepad from Castiel’s hands, “Probably not what you expected your first job to be, huh?”  
“Definitely not,” Castiel replied. As the officers began walking towards the police car, someone prodded Castiel’s shoulder, making him turn around. Castiel took a step back, surprised to see the firefighter standing in front of him. He had removed his helmet, revealing a short sandy haircut atop a sunkissed face with the most distinct green eyes the officer had ever seen, “I wanted to thank you for trying to help today.”  
“I don’t think I helped much,” Castiel blushed, scratching awkwardly at his arm, “I got in your way.”  
“Yeah, that’s true,” The man smirked, “And you also tried to get someone out of a burning car without proper protection.”  
“Not my finest moment, I have to admit.”  
The firefighter chuckled, extending a soot-covered hand towards the officer, “You must be the new police officer. I’m Dean.”  
“Castiel,” He replied, shaking Dean’s hand and trying to hide his wince from the vice grip the man had on him, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”  
“Likewise,” Dean smiled, peering over Castiel’s shoulder to look at Donna, “Don’t let him do that again, Hanscum,” He winked, stepping away.  
“Yeah yeah, Winchester,” Donna joked, finger gunning the firefighter as he walked back towards the fire engine, “Say hi to the others for me!”

Castiel waited for the truck to drive away, the horn going as it passed the police car. Donna patted him on the shoulder, nudging him towards the vehicle, “Looks like we have some paperwork to do now,” She smiled, walking over to the driver’s door and getting in. Taking one last look at the sight, Castiel finally noticed the full damage of the cars: the two that had been on fire were now hollow wrecks, the flipped car surrounded in broken glass.  
“Wreckers will clean it up,” Donna said, starting up the engine. Castiel got into the car, watching out the side window as they drove back to the station.


	2. A Firefighter and Policeman Step Into A Bar...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When your best friend is Charlie Bradbury, of course she is going to force you to meet the new officer again, Dean learnt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We get a little insight into Dean's background, and if you hadn't figured out from the tags, John Winchester isn't the best parent. When isn't there drama in the Winchester family?
> 
> Feedback and comments are always welcome!

Dean Winchester busied himself with restocking the oxygen tanks in Bess, the fire department’s most beloved engine. His weekly call with his younger brother, Sam, remained in his mind, tormenting him. When Sam had made the grand reveal that he would be staying in Stanford with Jess for the foreseeable future, Dean hadn’t reacted as well as he probably should have – unless, hanging up the phone and ignoring his brother’s calls and texts was classified as appropriate. He had locked his phone away with his ordinary clothes, forcing himself not to look at it until the end of his shift. 

“What’s got you so down in the dumps?” Benny’s voice roused Dean from his thoughts. He looked over at his friend, before sighing and leaning against the side compartment of the truck, “Family drama.”  
“John still bothering you?”

Dean paused, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes. John Winchester, known as the neighbourhood drunkard and the man who could never retain a job. It was needless to say that neither brother was proud of their father, especially growing up. Sam in particular had despised his father’s nature, hating the way that he treated his sons and neglected them for weeks on-end and returning like nothing had happened. It was to be expected that as soon as Sam was of age, he would lose contact with John, leaving the old man to the charge of Dean, who despite how John was, always looked out for him.  
He shook his head, rubbing his palm over his face, “Not John this time.”  
“Sam then?”  
Dean nodded, returning back to his distraction. Benny wandered over to the empty canisters, rearranging them to be replaced when the next supply run was, “Whatever it is, cher, you’re always going to forgive that boy. You’re pretty much all you two have.”  
“He’s planning on staying in Stanford.”  
“Well, he is old enough to make his own decisions, Dean. Even if it hurts you, you still gotta be there to support him, as that’s what family does,” Benny replied, approaching the far table and pouring himself a cup of coffee.  
Dean sighed, reaching up and closing Bess’ side compartment and stood next to his friend, “Thanks Benny, for being here.”  
Benny jokily punched him on the bicep, bringing him into a side hug, “Anytime, cher.”

Charlie’s mouselike footsteps raced towards the garage, her red curls bouncing with each step. She held her nerdy laptop, the cover pasted in fandom stickers and Harry Potter spells, “We got a new officer!”  
The two men raised their eyebrows at her. Ignoring their lack of response, she shoved the laptop screen up at their faces, tapping at it excitedly, “The police department hired a New Yorker as the latest officer, and isn’t he a piece of eye-candy?”  
Benny threw his head back as he laughed, hitting Dean in the back with his palm as he failed to keep in his reaction, “Isn’t that the screwup who almost stopped you saving that girl, cher?”  
Taking a closer look at the photo, Dean blushed, rubbing the back of his head, “Yeah, that’s him.”  
“Wait,” Charlie snatched the laptop away from the men, a scowl imprinted on her face, “You mean to say that you met him and didn’t even tell me?! What the hell, Winchester?!”  
“Relax, your highness,” Dean raised his hands up in surrender, “The news that there was a new officer came out last week, where have you been?”  
“Don’t go turning this back on me, and don’t you trying to win me over by addressing me as queen.”  
“He was at the crash-site this morning with Donna, that’s all.”  
“And he tried to get someone out of a burning car,” Benny coughed mockingly, using his clenched fist to hide his smirk.  
“Hey, he was just trying to help,” Dean growled, hitting his friend lightly on the shoulder.  
“We should totally get to know him!” Charlie declared, closing her laptop and putting it under her arm, “A friend of Donna’s is a friend of ours!”  
“And how do you suppose we hang out with him and it not be awkward?” Dean asked, crossing his arms and keeping his eyes glaring at Benny.  
“Everyone hangs out at The Roadhouse at some point, Dean. He must go there with the other officers, especially if he’s close with Donna.”  
“We’ll go there when our shift ends,” Benny suggested, taking a large gulp of his coffee.  
“Super! I’ll catch you guys later!” Charlie shouted, bouncing along as she returned back to the office space.  
The station alarm blared out through the garage, triggering both Dean and Benny to run towards the uniform hangers, slipping into their jackets.  
“Two calls already?” Benny asked, bending down to strap up his boots, “That’s never a good sign.”  
“It’s gonna be a long day,” Dean replied, waiting for the other men to slide down the fire pole and get ready. Ash was the last to come down, already in the gear, “Ready when you are, Winchester!”  
Nodding, Dean clambered into the driver seat of the engine, the other six firefighters sitting in the jumpseat area, as they drove off. 

Dean and Benny waited outside the bar, Benny taking a long breath from his cigarette before puffing the smoke out. Despite being a firefighter, he had managed to become addicted to smoking, even though he was also well aware of the harm it was doing internally. Charlie bounded towards the two, wearing a Ravenclaw shirt and ripped jeans, “What’s up bitches?”  
“What took you so long?” Benny smirked, taking another puff of his cigarette before crushing the end into the ashtray.  
“Can a lady not spend time preparing herself to make a good first impression to the new officer?”  
“We don’t even know if he’ll be in there,” Dean replied, his lips curling into a small smile.  
“Aha, but we do! I texted Donna and she said that after their call, she wanted to award Castiel so she’s taking him here,” Charlie grinned, grabbing the two men by the forearms and dragging them inside. 

The Roadhouse had a very homey scent, the perfect combination of greasy food and alcohol, mixed with a hint of men’s cologne and cheap perfume. Dean let the comforting air warm him, always being a comfort for him. The bar wasn’t too full on this evening, the regulars all huddled by the main bar with their eyes fixed to the football game on the television, and some others enjoying a casual meal by the tables around the room. Dean looked around, noticing Ellen scrubbing away behind the bar, and Jo waltzing around with a tray raised and full of empty glasses.

Letting Charlie and Benny hunt for the police officers, he approached an empty seat at the bar, smiling as the bar owner walked towards him, “Well look what the cat dragged in,” Ellen smiled, reaching over and pulling the man into a brief hug, “What brings you to my fine establishment, Dean?”  
“It’s more like Charlie dragged me in, actually,” He chuckled, watching as she poured him a healthy shot of whiskey, “She wants to meet the new officer.”  
“I’m surprised it’s taken her this long to interrogate the young man,” Ellen laughed, continuing to wipe down the surface of the bar, “Hasn’t he been here two weeks now?”  
“Exactly! And somehow she only found out today.”

She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, shaking her head, “That girl. Honestly,” Ellen looked back at Dean, concern etching into her features, “John was here last night. He didn’t look so good.”  
He sighed, throwing his head head back as he downed the whiskey, “Did he cause more trouble?”  
“Nothing before I sent him home.”  
Dean nodded, rolling the shot glass along the edge of its base. He kept his eyes on the glass, hoping that the woman would change the subject.  
“If you need the help looking after him, Dean-”  
“I can handle John,” Dean growled, pushing the glass towards her and standing up, “I’ll pay when I get Charlie and Benny’s orders,” He turned on his heels, walking over to where his friends had perched themselves in the corner of the room. Benny instantly sensed the change in his demeanour, a flash of worry glinting in his eyes, “You good, cher?”  
“Great,” Dean replied, sliding into the booth next to him, “So, any sign of your new victim, your highness?”  
Charlie shook her head, her phone facing upwards on the table, “Donna texted, saying they’ll be arriving soon.”  
Jo walked over to their table, leaning her weight on one of her legs, “What can I get you lot?”  
“Three beers,” Benny replied, giving her a ten dollar bill, “That’s also for cher’s earlier drink.”  
She nodded, heading towards the bar. Dean handed Benny over a five dollar bill, forcing it into his hand when he rejected it, “Take the fucking money, Benny.”  
“No need to get moody at me, cher,” He said, putting the note into his shirt pocket.

The main door to the bar opened, Donna pushing against it and a hesistant Castiel walking behind her. Charlie softly kicked the two men opposite her, nodding her head to the direction of the door, “He’s here.”  
Dean rolled his eyes as Charlie began waving at the two police officers. Donna slid into the seat next to Dean, her warming smile on her lips. Castiel didn’t have time to act before Charlie grabbed his arm and pulled him into the seat next to her, clutching his right hand with hers, “Charlie Bradbury, technological genius and Queen of Moondoor.”  
Castiel raised his eyebrow at her, “Moondoor?”  
“Yes, it’s my kingdom when I LARP.”  
“Don’t get all nerdy on him just yet, your highness,” Dean smirked, taking the beer bottle Jo was passing to him. Benny also smiled, humoured by the confused officer, “She’s a little special, no need to worry about her.”  
Castiel looked at the other two at the table, immediately recognising Dean, “Hello again.”  
“Hi Castiel.”  
The policeman turned to look at Benny, giving him a look-over before reaching his hand out, “I’m Castiel.”  
“Benny,” He took his hand, giving it a firm shake before grabbing his beer bottle. Jo waited by the edge of the table, balancing her serving tray on her hip, “Can I get you any more drinks?”  
“Two shots of whiskey,” Dean replied, nodding at Benny to check that he wanted one. Donna turned to Castiel, chuckling as she noticed how frightened he looked beside Charlie, “Anything for you, Novak?”  
“Just a water, thanks.”  
“How exciting,” Benny joked, earning himself a kick from the fesity redhead opposite, “What?!”  
Blatantly ignoring him, Charlie put her attention towards the newcomer, “So you’re from New York?”  
“Yes, my family live there.”  
“So why did you want to come to a place like Lawrence?”  
Castiel paused, absent-mindedly scratching at his thigh, “I, uh-”  
“Don’t answer anything you don’t want to,” Benny interrupted, earning himself another kick, “This isn’t some interrogation, Char!”  
Dean smirked again, noticing the grateful look Castiel was giving Benny. He downed the rest of his beer, running his thumb along the rim as he listened to the interaction.  
“Okay, next question. Which Harry Potter house are you in?”  
“Hufflepuff, and I’m assuming you are Ravenclaw.”  
“My, what a detective you are,” Charlie grinned, “What’s your favourite Star Wars movie?”  
“I’ve never watched them,” Castiel immediately regretted the confession, the redhead whacking his shoulder.  
“How have you never seen Star Wars?!”  
“Char, let the man be,” Benny joked again, finishing his beer and clunking it back on the table, “Not everyone has to watch Star Wars to be interesting.”  
Jo returned back to the group, passing over the two shots to the firefighters and the water to her colleague, “What has the new guy answered wrong?”  
“He’s never seen Star Wars!” Charlie cried, shaking her head, “And you could have been so perfect.”  
“I, uh, don’t swing your way, Charlie,” Castiel replied, sipping his water, “It never would have worked anyway.”

All of them except Castiel burst into laughter, Charlie bringing her knees up as she curled over, “You’re funny, Castiel!”  
“How am I funny?” He asked, having no idea what had made everyone laugh.  
“Charlie’s a lesbian,” Dean laughed. Donna used the back of her sleeve to wipe at her watering eyes, Benny already failing to keep the tears of laughter back, “Oh he’s definitely a keeper, cher.”  
“My apologies. I believed the questioning was a form of flirtation?”  
“You’re so not my type,” Charlie giggled, finally managing to control herself, “I’m just in need of new friends – these lot get boring after a while.”  
“What are you on about? We’re awesome to have around,” Donna chuckled, drinking her beer. Benny and Dean clinked their shot glasses before downing the whiskey, both unaffected by the afterburn.  
“What do you do for fun, Castiel?” Charlie asked, noticing how he was focusing on the two firefighters.  
“Hmm? Oh, I like reading, sometimes writing.”  
“Written anything decent?”  
“Nothing that would interest anybody,” He replied, drinking some more of his water.  
“You should totally let me read some of your stuff, I know a few people who could get it published,” Charlie suggested, smiling as the officer’s cheeks turned more crimson.  
“It certainly isn’t that good.”

Dean cursed as his phone loudly blurted out. He scrambled through his pockets trying to find it, signalling for Donna to step out of the booth to let him leave. Looking at the screen, he groaned, accepting the call before bringing the phone to his ear, “Where are you?”  
Castiel watched from the table as Dean headed towards the main door, his shoulders tensing as he spoke on the phone, “Who’s he talking to?”  
“Probably John,” Donna replied, gulping down the rest of her beer, “Anyone want anything else?”  
“I should probably check up on him,” Benny said, clambering out of the booth and following Dean. Castiel looked back at Charlie, “Were there any other questions you wanted to ask?”  
“How much time have you got?” She laughed, turning on her phone and beginning to read off her list.

“I’ll be there in a bit, Dad, just let me get in the car,” Dean growled, storming out of the bar. Benny jogged up to him, placing his hand on his shoulder. He furrowed his brow, nodding sympathetically when Dean sighed and shook his head, “Look, just wait outside and I’ll be pick you up. See you soon,” He hung up, collapsing against the side of the Impala, “Can’t he just go one week without ending up like this?”  
“Do you want me to come with you?” Benny asked, helping his friend up and taking the car keys out of Dean’s back pocket.  
“I can handle John, just go back in there and make sure Charlie doesn’t end up killing Cas.”  
“Cas?” Benny smirked, unlocking the car.  
“Shut up,” Dean replied, a small smile appearing on his lips, “Thanks for the offer though.”  
“Anytime, cher,” He handed Dean the keys, stepping away and waited for the black Impala to swerve out of the parking lot. Once sure that Dean had left, Benny returned inside, immediately greeted by Charlie’s yelling, “What do you mean you don’t like The Hobbit?!”  
“Lord of the Rings was tolerable but The Hobbit went on for too long.”  
“How dare you, Castiel Novak!”  
Benny chuckled as he saw Castiel brace himself for another punch, “Take it easy, Char. Just because Dean’s gone doesn’t mean you can hastle the poor man.”  
Donna walked back to the table from the bar, passing another beer bottle to the firefighter, “Is he okay?”  
“Yeah, just picking John up from who knows where.”  
“Another bar, most likely,” She growled in reply, shaking her head as she had the first sip of the beer, “He’s lucky Dean gets to him before we do, or else John Winchester would have a record as long as the Wakarusa River.”  
“He’s lucky he’s got Dean,” Benny replied, clinking his bottle with hers before downing some of the beer.  
“Who’s John?” Castiel asked, more interested in their conversation than being attacked by Charlie.  
“Sorry, cher. It isn’t our place to share that with you.”  
“Let’s just say, if you see John Winchester outside a bar, you better pull the gun out on him before he pulls one out on you,” Donna raised her bottle towards the officer, “Trust me, that man is bad news.”  
“Back to more pressing issues,” Charlie steered the conversation away, prodding Castiel in the chest, “What movie franchises do you actually like then?”  
Castiel paused, trying to think of which ones he had enjoyed other than Harry Potter, “Umm, I mean, The Hunger Games was pretty good.”  
“Favourite character?”  
“Katniss, always.”  
“You’re forgiven,” Charlie declared, softly hitting him on the shoulder. He scowled back at her, rubbing at the targetted spot, “Then why did you hit me?”  
“It’s the only way she knows how to show affection,” Donna joked, moving away when Charlie threatened to punch her. 

Benny glanced down at his watch, his eyes widening when he saw the time, “I gotta head home now – I promised Andrea I would be back earlier than last time.”  
“It is earlier than last time! It isn’t even midnight yet!” Charlie whined.  
“You know how she gets though,” Benny stepped out of the booth, politely bowing towards everyone, “Have a good evening, and I hope we can do this again.”  
The three waved the firefighter off as he left. Donna sat herself comfortably in the middle of the seat, finishing her beer, “Novak, we both have to be in early tomorrow, and I don’t need you to be more of a zombie than you were this morning.”  
Castiel ducked his head sheepishly, “I’m sorry, Donna. I didn’t mean to be that tired today.”  
“We are definitely meeting up on Friday – no excuses from either of you,” Charlie announced, hugging Castiel awkwardly from the side, “It was really nice getting to meet you. It would have been nicer to meet you when the others did too, but that’s what I get for not being a firefighter.”  
“Then what do you do for a living?” Castiel had assumed that Charlie was a colleague of Dean and Benny’s, never thinking that she might be in a different occupation.  
“I work at the fire station, just more as a secretary / assistant to Captain Bobby. They don’t trust me near the hoses after I knocked Ash out with the jet one time.”  
“I presume that’s a story for another time,” Castiel grinned, knowing that he was starting to really like the redhead, despite her slightly aggressive behaviour.  
“Remind me when we meet again on Friday,” Charlie winked, waiting for him to move out of the booth before sliding her way across, “Until next time, Castiel Novak.” She brushed down her jeans, then saluted the two, “Peace out bitches,” She called as she walked out of the bar. 

Donna stood up from the booth, leaving a twenty dollar bill on the table, “I’ll see you at work in the morning, Castiel.”  
“Goodnight Donna,” Castiel replied, leaving the bar through the main doors. He began his walk back to the apartment, which he had calculated was a ten minute stroll. As he walked along the sidewalk, he couldn’t stop his mind worrying over his new companion. If all of his friends knew that John was bad, why was Dean still with him? Nobody had told him what the relation was - Castiel could only assume it was familial. 

It had been pleasant to get to know more people. Castiel hadn’t realised how close the separate first responder services were to each other, or maybe it was solely a friendship between the fire department and the police force. Either way, that was the opposite to what it had been like in New York. The stereotypical cliché of police versus firemen was clearly evident in the city, with neither force interacting with one another, even at the same sites. Gabriel had mocked it, making the comparison to the banter in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, only without the friendly banter and more of the silent treatment and minor threats if the other got in the way. 

Castiel stopped in front of his apartment complex, nodding politely at the groundkeeper before entering the main lobby. From down the hall, he could hear the energetic ring of Charlie’s voice, causing him to turn around. She was on the phone to someone, fumbling with her keys in her hands whilst propping her phone against her ear using her shoulder. Noticing Castiel, she waved excitedly, continuing to squeal into the phone as she managed to unlock her door and slip inside. The police officer smiled, walking up the three flights of stairs and approaching his front door. 

As he entered, the sudden feeling of loneliness hit him. Castiel reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, strolling through the contacts until he found his brother’s name. Putting the phone on speaker, he placed it down on the counter. Gabriel answered on the second ring, “Cassie! Why are you calling me at midnight? Did you get mugged?”  
“No, I just wanted the company,” Castiel replied, walking into his kitchen area and preparing himself a cup of herbal tea.  
“Is there nobody there who will put up with your annoying self?”  
“Very funny, Gabriel.”  
“But really, why are you calling?”  
Castiel paused, uncertain as to why he did, “Can I not catch up with my older brother?”  
“You can catch up with me when I visit at the end of the week, remember?” Gabriel reminded him. His brother had planned to stay over at the apartment for a few days to explore the area, “check out the dating options”, as he had phrased it.  
“Yes, of course. My apologies for calling then, since you don’t seem at all interested in speaking to me.”  
“Well it is midnight Cassie, and some of us have to be up early to bake the morning goodies.”

Castiel continued making his tea, scooping a heavy teaspoon of honey from the jar and dipping it into the herbal tea, using the spoon to calmingly stir the liquid.  
“Since you called, how has your week been so far?” Gabriel asked, “Meet any potential partners?”  
“I had my first call today, a three-car collision. No fatalities, as far as I’m aware.”  
It took a few moments for Gabriel to softly respond, “Is that what made you call, Cassie?”  
“Kinda, not really. I’m sorry for disturbing your evening, Gabriel,” Castiel quickly answered, gulping down the scorching tea and wincing at the burning sensation, “When will you be arriving here?”  
“Friday morning, which gives us the evening to explore your side of town,” His brother perked up, hoping to cheer Castiel a little, “You can always give me a call if you need to talk about work, Cassie. Or anything else, for that matter.”  
“Thank you, Gabriel. I appreciate it.”  
“Right, then I need to call it a night, or else I will end up setting something on fire in the morning. Goodnight Cassie.”  
“Goodnight Gabriel,” Castiel switched off his phone, dumping his empty cup into the sink. He entered the master bedroom, sighing at the expansive, empty bed in the middle of the room. As he began changing into his PJs, he set out the police uniform he would wear in the morning, propping his hat on top of the chest at the foot of the bed, before clambering underneath the cold sheets. Closing his eyes, Castiel sighed as his subconscience began dreaming about his new firefighter friend. 

On the other side of town, Dean Winchester pulled his Baby over to the side of the road. Dean could instantly notice his father’s hunched figure leaning against the side wall of Walker’s Bar, clasping an empty glass bottle. He stepped out of the car, hastily walking over to his father’s drunken form.  
“Took you long enough,” John growled, his bloodshot eyes glaring at his eldest and raising the bottle, “They cut me off again.”  
“Come on, Dad, let’s get you home,” Dean pulled his father’s free arm over his shoulder, wrapping his around John’s waist to support him. He could feel the intrusive eyes staring at him from other people on the street as he tried to get his dad’s frame away from the wall.  
“Don’t think I’m going anywhere with you gay ass,” John slurred, carelessly dropping the bottle. Dean flinched at the sound of the glass smashing, trying to ignore his father.  
“No wonder Sam left your faggot self when he got old enough – ain’t no normal boy wants to be raised by a degenerate like you.”  
“You have to work with me, John,” Dean subverted the conversation, blinking away any sign of his emotions being hurt by his father’s words, “The faster you cooperate, the quicker you get to rest.”  
“Leave me the fuck alone you fag,” He began resisting, slamming his fist against Dean’s chest, “Let me go!”  
Checking that no cars were passing, Dean tugged his father across the street, his muscles tensing with each collision of John’s fist as he weakly punched him. Suddenly, John stopped, his body beginning to sway, “I think I’m gonna be sick.”

Dean stepped back as his father hurled in front of the Impala, gripping onto the bonnet for support. The sound of alcohol and partially-digested peanuts spilling onto the concrete echoed, blending with the nightly commotion of other drunkards. The area was known for its dirtiness, the perfect combination of alcoholic’s vomit and overspilling trash cans in alleyways. It didn’t surprise Dean that his father would be in the rundown section of Lawrence, far enough away that he wouldn’t be recognised by residents or pedestrians, but still close enough to put shame to the Winchester name.  
John spluttered out any of the remaining contents from his stomach, groaning as he swiped his mouth with the back of his hand.  
“You done?”  
The older man nodded, stumbling towards the passenger door and swinging it open as he tumbled into the seat. Dean waited until he heard the brutal slam of the door, patting the roof of the car as an apologetic gesture before sitting in the driver’s seat. He carefully drove the car around the pile of spew, also taking it slowly in case John needed to jump out and be sick outside again.  
“Why the fuck are you even here, Dean?” John asked, rubbing his temples in an attempt to expel the growing headache.  
“Because you called, like you always do when you get this drunk.”

John huffed, staring out of the side window at the passing buildings. Dean sighed, switching on the car radio and lowering the volume. ‘Hey Jude’ filled the tense air, its soft tune humming through the car. His father angrily reached across, hitting his palm against the radio and abruptly cutting the song, “I don’t want to listen to any fucking music.”  
As Dean pulled up to the driveway of his childhood home, he noticed the wreckage on the front yard, “What happened Dad?”

The trash can had been knocked over, its contents spilling over the overgrown lawn. Shards of broken glass scattered the front porch, glinting in the light from the streetlamps, empty cans scrunched and tossed carelessly in front of the house.  
“None of your goddamn business, Dean,” John replied, pushing open the car door and stumbling out. His son followed after him, carefully stepping on gaps between the stacks of rubbish. John made it to the front door first, shoving his entire weight against it and tumbling in, cursing as he fell. Before Dean could offer to help him up, he snatched his arm away, “Don’t fucking touch me. I don’t need your gay hands on me.”  
The older Winchester made his way into the living room, throwing himself onto the armchair, “Bring me a fucking beer.”  
“You’ve drank enough for one night, Dad,” Dean replied, wandering into the kitchen and stopping as soon as he saw the mess. Every cupboard door was open, the plates smashed on the floor. There were only a few packets of food still on the shelves, the fridge door wide open revealing a six-pack of beer. Dean sighed, crouching down and began picking up the debris. It had been a few days since he had last seen John, but the place hadn’t been in this much of a state. 

In the background, Dean could hear the shrill noise of voices on the television, his dad flicking through the channels as his feet knocked off whatever had been on the coffee table. Dean continued collecting up the broken ceramic pieces of plate, scraping them into the trash. He closed the cupboards and the fridge, making a mental note to run to the store tomorrow to restock the house. 

Once done clearing the mess, Dean poured a glass of water, carrying it into the living room for his father. John was now sprawled on the armchair, his head resting on his shoulder in an uncomfortable position. The TV remote had fallen out of his hands, now on his lap. Dean put the glass on the small table beside his father’s chair, picking up the remote and switching the television off. He picked up the blanket that had been on the back of the couch and spread it across his father’s passed out form, patting his other shoulder before walking back towards the front door. 

Dean quietly unlocked it, stepping outside and taking in a deep breath of the chill night air. He could feel the tears beginning to swell in his eyes, making him scrub roughly at them to stop any escaping. Despite nobody being around, he feared showing any sign of vulnerability or that John’s words got to him. Clearing his throat, he descended down the front porch, taking a final look at the silent house before getting back into the Impala and driving off.


End file.
